New Jersey has one of the most comprehensive anti-bullying laws in the nation, but Gov. Chris Christie believes the best way to stop the behavior is for students to get involved and stand up to bullies.

(David Matthau, Townsquare Media NJ)
Gov. Chris Christie speaks during his April 9 town hall meeting in Fairfield.
(David Matthau, Townsquare Media NJ)
Gov. Chris Christie speaks during his April 9 town hall meeting in Fairfield.
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During his latest town hall meeting in Fairfield, the governor was asked by a youngster what he's doing to stop bullying.

"We've got a tough law that's being funded," Christie said, "but the most effective thing against bullying in school is you."

The governor then said at one time or another in our lives, we have all faced a bully ourselves, or watched bullying occur in school involving another student.

"I could pass as many laws as I want," Christie said. "But people break laws every day, and the most effective thing I've found in any school is peer pressure."

He went on to say "if someone is doing something that other students really don't like, they'll usually say something, so kids should speak up and tell the bully 'knock it off, don't do that, it's not right, it's not fair, it's not cool, we don't like it.'"

The governor added that if somebody thinks they're going to be called out -- not by their teachers or the principal or some administrator, but they think they're going to be called out by the other students in the school -- they're much more reluctant to do it.

"You've got to be willing to stand up for the person who is being bullied, and standing up to the person who is doing it," he said. "If we work together, we can minimize bullying and stop the social and physical effects that come from it."

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